Caterpillar luxurious jewellery

Unique 19th Century Ethiopian Golden Caterpillar Robot. Unique work of Swiss jeweler and watch maker Henri Maillardet Caterpillar luxurious jewellery
Caterpillar luxurious jewellery
Created for some wealthy Chinese aristocrat, 200-year-old masterpiece of high jewellery is still in excellent working condition. Sold at auction in 2010, it fetched a price of more than $415,000. It joins five other such caterpillars known to exist, all of which reside in prestigious art collections.
At one time, robots amused wealthy collectors and art enthusiasts. This stunning caterpillar automaton from approximately 1820 is a wonder of both artistry and workmanship. The materials for Ethiopian Caterpillar include rubies, diamonds, emeralds, pearls, and turquoise all set in gold. The eleven jointed ring segments combine to form a “body” make crawling realistic. Noteworthy, its body moves up and down by means of a set of gilt-metal knurled wheels.
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